Edsbyn: Skiing, Trails and Culture

Edsbyn offers a variety of reasons to stay: a ski slope and opportunities for cross-country skiing and cycling sit alongside walking trails, a pilgrim trail and cultural history. This lets you explore the area according to your own interests, rather than treating very different offerings as a single program.

Winter Sports and Outdoor Trails

Edsbybacken is a ski slope on Gårdtjärnsberget in Edsbyn. Cross-country skiing is another option: the municipality maintains a ski trail in the Bäckområdet. Trail grooming in winter can vary, so check conditions before making plans. Trails and routes in Edsbyn mapped by Ovanåkers stigcyklister can be used for cycling, running and hiking. Some of them are also suitable for cross-country skiing in winter.

Another option for a walk is Hälsans stig in Edsbyn. Signs and several overview maps mark the route. You can start and finish your walk anywhere along it. This offers a different setting from the mapped routes, for which cycling, running and hiking are among the stated uses. The information can help you choose based on your preferred activity and the guidance you need, without assuming that all trails are suitable for the same uses.

Pilgrimage and Cultural History

The Hoppet Pilgrim Trail is about seven kilometres long and runs from S:t Olofs kapell in Edsbyn to Ovanåkers kyrka. It follows Gamla landsvägen, close to the Voxnan River. Along the way, you pass mileposts and farmsteads, including the Hoppet farmstead. The approximate length and named endpoints give you a clear idea of this route; the points along the way also make its historical surroundings part of the experience.

Edsbyns Museum focuses on Hans Lidman and Lim-Johan, as well as folk art and farming culture. It also features a recreated general store as it looked from the turn of the century until the 1940s. The recreation adds a vivid example of a shop from that era to the exhibitions. On Edsbyn’s cultural trail, 14 signs with images and text provide information about early Edsbyn. This lets you explore local history through stops in public spaces, too.

Mårtes Hembygdsgård is located in the centre of Edsbyn and comprises about thirty buildings. The site offers a broader view of the area’s architectural and cultural history. In the wider region around Edsbyn and Alfta are Jon-Lars and Pallars, two of the seven Hälsingland Farmhouses on the World Heritage list. These farmsteads are part of the regional cultural context, while the museum, cultural trail and Hembygdsgård provide specific insights into Edsbyn itself.

More Things to Do in Edsbyn

Centrally located Edsbyns simhall has two pools and a sauna. The main swimming pool is 25 metres long, and there is also a smaller children’s pool. If you would like to combine an activity with disc golf, Edsbyns Discgolfbana is located in the central Bäck recreation area in the centre of Edsbyn. The course is free to use.

Barnens Bäck is in the forest by the Bäck recreation area and features various figures and woodland creatures; everyone is welcome to visit. Björnsafari offers a different kind of nature experience, where you can rent your own bear hide. Booking and operating details may change, so it is advisable to check current availability before planning. These offerings offer different experiences—from exercise and swimming to a stay in a bear hide—and complement the trails and cultural sites as other potential interests for your trip to Edsbyn.

Discover more destinations: Voxnabruk, Viksjöfors, Alfta, Ovanåker.

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